title: Metallothionein expression and concentrations of copper and zinc are associated with tumor differentiation in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Metallothionein is the carrier protein of heavy metal ions, such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). In this study, the relationships among immunohistochemical expression of metallothionein, concentrations of Cu and Zn, histological differentiation and proliferative activity of hepatocellular carcinoma were investigated in 51 cases. The concentrations of Cu and Zn in both tumor and non-tumor tissues were determined using electron probe microanalysis. Immunohistochemical expression of metallothionein in tumor tissues decreased with the degree of differentiation, whereas the number of hepatocytes positive for Ki-67 increased. Furthermore, the concentrations of Cu and Zn in tumor tissues decreased with the degree of histological differentiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tashiro-Itoh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichida
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asakura
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D015032:Zinc